Acoustics Generation System for Extended Reality Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current extended reality technologies face challenges in generating frequency-accurate acoustics for complex soundscapes, as they struggle to model physical acoustic effects like attenuation, diffraction, and absorption across different frequency components, leading to impractical and inefficient processing in both time and frequency domains, with conventional media player devices lacking the necessary computing resources and experiencing latency issues.
Innovation Solution
An acoustics generation system that transforms time-domain audio data into frequency-domain data using FFT, accessing acoustic propagation data to generate frequency-domain binaural audio signals, which are then converted back to time-domain for immersive audio presentation, leveraging scalable computing resources like Multi-Access Edge Compute servers to minimize latency and accurately model sound propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional time-domain or frequency-domain processing is used to model acoustic effects, then processing can be performed, but the processing becomes impractical and inefficient for complex soundscapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex soundscape into multiple frequency bands using filter banks. Each frequency band is processed independently to model acoustic effects (attenuation, diffraction, absorption) specific to that band. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex soundscapes efficiently by breaking down the overall processing task into manageable frequency-specific sub-tasks, rather than attempting to process the entire spectrum simultaneously in either pure time or frequency domain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional two-domain processing (time-frequency) to a three-dimensional approach by incorporating spatial information. The system models sound propagation in 3D space with frequency-dependent acoustic effects, adding the spatial dimension to the traditional time-frequency analysis. This enables realistic simulation of how different frequency components propagate through virtual environments with obstacles, surfaces, and varying acoustic properties at different locations.
2Measurement precision
If frequency-accurate acoustic modeling is implemented, then immersive audio experience is improved, but computing resources and latency become problematic for media player devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using frequency-specific acoustic parameters tailored to each frequency band. Different acoustic effects (attenuation coefficients, diffraction patterns, absorption characteristics) are applied locally to each frequency band based on its specific propagation characteristics. This allows frequency-accurate modeling without uniformly processing all frequencies with maximum computational effort, optimizing resource usage by applying appropriate levels of processing detail to each frequency region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing frequency-dependent acoustic propagation data for the virtual environment. Acoustic parameters such as attenuation rates, diffraction patterns, and absorption coefficients are computed in advance for different frequency bands and environmental configurations. During runtime, the media player device retrieves and applies these pre-computed parameters rather than calculating them in real-time, significantly reducing computational load and latency while maintaining frequency accuracy.
3Reliability
If complex soundscapes with multiple virtual sound sources are simulated, then realism is improved, but processing time and computational load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments both the frequency spectrum and the sound source processing. Each virtual sound source is processed through the filter bank to extract frequency-band components, and acoustic effects are applied independently to each frequency band of each sound source. This segmentation enables parallel processing of multiple sound sources across different frequency bands, maintaining simulation realism for complex soundscapes while reducing overall processing time through efficient parallel computation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by dynamically adjusting frequency-dependent acoustic parameters based on the virtual environment and sound source characteristics. Acoustic effects such as attenuation, diffraction, and absorption are modeled with parameters that vary by frequency band, distance, and environmental properties. This parameter-based approach allows the system to efficiently simulate realistic acoustic behavior for multiple sound sources by adjusting pre-defined parameter sets rather than performing complex calculations for each sound source individually.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the generation of highly immersive, frequency-accurate acoustics for extended reality worlds with complex soundscapes, improving user experience by accurately simulating sound propagation and reducing latency, making it possible to distinguish and localize sounds in a more realistic manner.
Implementation Method 1
transforms time-domain audio data into frequency-domain data using FFT
Implementation Method 2
acoustic propagation data representative of characteristics affecting propagation of the virtual sound
Implementation Method 3
model physical acoustic effects like attenuation, diffraction, and absorption
Implementation Method 4
model physical acoustic effects like attenuation, diffraction, and absorption
Implementation Method 5
model physical acoustic effects like attenuation, diffraction, and absorption
Implementation Method 6
converted back to time-domain
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary acoustics generation system accesses acoustic propagation data representative of characteristics affecting propagation of a virtual sound to an avatar within an extended reality world being experienced by a user associated with the avatar. Based on the acoustic propagation data, the acoustics generation system also generates a binaural audio signal representative of the virtual sound as experienced by the avatar when the propagation of the virtual sound to the avatar is simulated in accordance with the characteristics affecting the propagation. Additionally, the acoustics generation system prepares the binaural audio signal for presentation to the user as the user experiences the extended reality world by way of the avatar. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.